Fewer farms in South Dakota

February 06, 2009

A government report shows a continuing decline in the number of farms in South Dakota. The 2007 Agriculture Census counted 31,169 farms, down 567 from the 2002 Census and down just over 2,000 from 1997. As the number of farms declines, the size of those remaining increases. Farms averaged 1,401 acres in 2007, up from 1,380 acres in 2002. The average age of farmers in 2007 was 55.7. The average age was 53.3 in 2002. South Dakota's $6.5 billion worth of agricultural products in 2007 was 17th largest in the nation.